Rail-joint.



Patented Apr. 24, 1900. H. J. PARK.

RAIL JOkNT.

I (Application filed June 5, 1899. Renew d Mar. 16, 1900.)

(No Model.)

, taken vertically through one of the fastening bolts or pins.

, ting rail-sections of common or ordinary form,

NITED STATES PATENT OFF E.

HENRY J. PARK, OF NAVASOTA, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO R. A.

HORLOCK, OF

SAME PLACE.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming art of Letters Patent No. 647,983, dated Ap n 24,1900.

Application filed June 5, I899. Renewed March 16, 1900. Serial No.8,997. (No model.) 7 7 T0 a'ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, HENRY J. PARK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Navasota, in the county of Grimes and State of Texas,haveinvented. a new and useful Rail- Joint, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to rail-joints of that class embodying headedbolts and a wedge locking-plate having keyhole-slots; and the objectthereofis to provide a spring lockingplate having an interlockingengagement with the adjacent fish-plate.

With this object in view the present in vention consists in thecombination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointedout in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view ofa rail-joint'equippedwith the improvements. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view Fig. 3 is'ahorizontal sectional view taken on the line so as, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is adetail perspective view of the lockingspringplate. Fig. 5 is a detailperspective view of one of the fastening-bolts. 3

Corresponding parts are designated by like reference characters in allthe figures of the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 and 2 designate, respectively,opposite abutwhich are joined by the present invention. At oppositesides of the rails, flush against the webs and overlapping the joint,are the respective fish-plates 3 and 4, of suitable length and fittingsnugly between the treads and flanges of the rails. The outer face ofone of the fish-plates, as 4, is roughened, as at 5, and preferablycorrugated vertically, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. The fish-platesand the webs of the respective rails are provided withtransversely-alined bolt-openings adapted to receive the fastening-bolts6. As illustrated in Fig. 5, each of these bolts has an integral head 7,as usual, and near the opposite end and at diametrically-opposite sidesthereof the bolt is provided with notches 8, whereby a flat neck 9 isformed between the body of through the bolt-openings from the smoothfish-plate side of the rails, wherebythe heads 7 engage the outer faceof the latter fishplate,'and the necks 9 and shouldered ends '10 of thebolts project'outward beyond the corrugatedouter face of'the oppositefishplate 4. In order that the bolts-may be locked,

a locking-plate 11 is provided, as shown in detail in Fig. 4. This'plateis preferably of the same length as the corrugated fish-plate, being ofzigzag formation and providinga plurality of outer inclined wedge-shapedfaces 12, all of which'incline in the same relative direction from oneend of the plate and in parallel planes. The adjacent opposite ends ofthe respective wedge portions of the plate are connected together by aninclined trans verse shoulder 13. At the vertex of the outer angleformed between the wedges and the transverse shoulders and upon theinner side only of the plate there are provided trans verse ribs 14,extending entirely across the plate and rounded in cross-section. Itwill be understood by reference to Fig. 3 that the ribs are all locatedin the same plane. inclined or wedge portion is providedwith akeyhole-slot 15, having the enlarged portion thereof located adjacent tothe rib end of the wedge and the straight slot extending longitudinallytherefrom. I

In applying the locking-plate the ribbed inner face thereof is placedagainst the outer o corrugated face of the fish-plate 4, the shoulderedends of the bolts being received through the enlarged portions of thekeyhole-slots and the flat necks 9 being located therein and alined withthe straight portions thereof. The locking-plate is then struck at oneend to force the same longitudinally across the face of the corrugatedfish-plate, whereby the flat neck portion of each bolt is receivedWithin the straight portion of the respective keyholeslots. Theshoulders 10, which are inclined at the same relative angle as the outerfaces Each bolts.

of the wedges, engage the same, and thereby force the ribs 14 intofrictional engagement with the corrugated or roughened face of theadjacent fish-plate. It will be understood that the locking-plate isformed of spring metal, so thatapositive frictional engagement is hadbetween the spring locking-plate and the corrugated face of the adjacentfish-plate, whereby an accidental loosening or displacement of thelocking-plate is prevented. The flat neck portions of the bolts beingsnugly received within the straight portions of the respectivekeyhole-slots, the bolts are prevented from turning, and the shouldersengaging the outer face of the locking-plate prevent a longitudinaldisplacement of the The locking-plate may be released by forcibly movingthe same in a direction opposite to that employed in positioning theplate.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details ofconstruction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof the present invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is-- 1. In arail-joint, the combination with the adjacent rail-sections and theopposite fishplates, of headed bolts having flat neck portions andopposite stop-shoulders'at'the outer ends of the respective necks, and aspring locking-plate having wedge portions provided with keyhole-slots,the neck portions of the bolts being received Within the respectivekeyhole-slots, and the spring locking-plate having a frictionalengagement with the adjacent fish-plate, substantiallyas and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In a rail-joint, the combination with the adjacent rail-sections andthe opposite fishplates, of headed bolts having flat neck portions andstop-shoulders at the outer ends of the respective necks, and azigzagged spring substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a rail-joint, the combination with the adjacent rail-sections'andthe opposite fishplates, one of the latter having its outer facecorrugated vertically, of headed bolts having reduced flattened neckportions, and stopshoulders at the outer ends of the,necks,of azigzagged spring locking-plate having keyhole-slots formed therein andprovided with transverse ribs located ateach of the projections orraised portions upon one side only of the plate, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

4. In a rail-joint, the combination with the adjacent rail-sections andthe opposite fishplates, one of the latter having its outer facecorrugated vertically, of headed-bolts, having reduced flattened neckportions, and stopshoulders at the outer ends of the respective necks,and a zigzagged spring locking-plate, having long inclined portionsforming Wedges and provided with keyhole-slots, connectingshouldersbetween the adjacent opposite ends of the wedgeportiohs, and transverseribs located at the vertex of the outer angles between the wedges andthe connecting-shoulders upon one side only of the locking-plate,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto al'iixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. HENRY J. PARK.

Witnesses i W. J. TERRELL, IIAYNES SHANNON.

